Cyclist injured in unprovoked attack

A cyclist claims the driver of this silver car assaulted her and is appealing for help from the public

Published:10:00Monday 13 June 2016

A cyclist viciously assaulted by a motorist in broad daylight is appealing to Wigan residents to help police identify the mindless attacker.

Leanne Earle was pushed off her bike and suffered serious cuts and bruises while riding between Aspull and Blackrod on Thursday morning.

The 32-year-old said the man, who was driving a vehicle without a rear licence plate, pulled over to commit the unprovoked attack and then sped away in the direction of Wigan.

Leanne told the Evening Post: “I’m not a lycra-clad regular cyclist and this was a quiet back road. The vehicle drove past me, I think, and stopped quite far ahead.

“There wasn’t any traffic or parked vehicles and I’m certain I didn’t do anything to provoke what happened, not that there would be any excuse for it.”

Leanne could see the driver leave his vehicle in an aggressive manner and as she reached him he struck her to the head and made several attempts to push her from her bike.

She said: “He injured me, shouted at me, terrified me and damaged my bike. I don’t know whether he would have carried on if other people hadn’t been there.”

“He was extremely aggressive and potentially even more dangerous as I do not know the reason for the attack. He ran off as a number of other vehicles arrived and stopped. I believe he only fled due to the arrival of other people. There was no car versus bike altercation or near miss of any sort.”

With Leanne on the pavement having been pushed from her bike, other motorists and nearby residents came to her aid.

She said: “It’s a credit to the public that they came to help me and no-one has been shy in giving their details to act as witnesses to come forward and I’m grateful for that.

“I do not know if he is randomly targeting cyclists or if he thought I was someone else or if it was entirely random or unprovoked but the car was quite distinctive, as was the driver and I would like to warn the public.”

The matter has been reported to the police and Leanne said she is now recovering from her traumatic ordeal.

She said: “I’m quite shaken that somebody could just do such an unprovoked attack. “I have some nasty cuts and bruises but I’m okay.”